Time is like a River
by banishthegloom
Summary: During a heist River gets transported into the past to a crime scene with experimental Alliance equipment.
1. Chapter 1

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were running as fast as they could, with Simon pulling River along after them. What the crew knew would be a difficult and dangerous heist had gone wrong. As they were being pursued by Alliance guards, thoughts of doubt were going through their heads. Mal was thinking he had been too cocky and the money too good, Zoe was thinking something similar, Jayne was thinking every curse word he had ever heard, and Simon was thinking how foolish he was to agree to go along and bring his sister.

They had gone through many parts of the building and had no idea where the exits were anymore. It seemed like every time they thought they found some more Alliance guards were blocking their way. River was moving too slowly. To herself she wasn't thinking so much as listening. The thoughts of those around her were interesting. The part of the building they were in now mostly consisted of scientists.

"Over here!" Mal shouted as he found a door that went to the stairway that led to the roof. A few of the scientists, so absorbed in their work that they hadn't noticed the thieves, started and looked up.

Suddenly a flash went off. Simon had been trying to pull River toward the door but she was fascinated by a machine that took up half the room. It was the one that made the flash. No one could see anything for a few minutes. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were experienced enough to use this time to escape but Simon stood stunned. When the flash was over he look down at his hand that has just been holding River's wrist. Where had she gone?

"River?" Simon called out.

"Come on, we got to go." Jayne said practically pushing him up the stairs. Mal had said they didn't leave without the Doctor and Jayne wasn't planning on getting caught. Simon tried to tell them he had to find River but everything was in chaos and hurry. Getting annoyed Jayne just knocked him out. He would deal with whatever the Doctors' problem was later. Mal would think it happened getting away most like so it would be no trouble.

* * *

><p>In a flash River was on a strange street. A street like there used to be according to history books. Her first instinct was to run so that is what she did. She didn't get far before she was tackled onto pavement by a woman. The flash has discombobulated her. She couldn't think straight. She blacked out.<p>

* * *

><p>When River woke up she was in a hospital bed. She was frantic at once. Had The Alliance got hold of her again? She was handcuffed by one wrist to the bad. She screamed.<p>

"Whoa. No need for that. You're safe, just under arrest." Gibbs said. River looked at the man before her. He looked like someone who worked for The Alliance, older yet still in shape. He didn't wear the uniform though. In her mind she heard whispers from his own mind. With her throbbing head she could only make out a few words. Words like crime scene, murder, marine, suspect, and killer. They caught me at last, she thought. Two by two, but no hands of blue, so he will be killed after handing me over. River started screaming in Mandarin Chinese that they would never truly have her. They could destroy her but she would never work for them.

Gibbs looked startled. It hadn't occurred to him that she might not speak English. He had been the one guarding her hospital room but Ziva would relieve him soon. Perhaps she knew what language the …girl or woman? Gibbs couldn't pin point her age. He guessed somewhere between 17 and 25, but that was too broad. While he was thinking this, River had just laid back and said nothing else. She seemed calm or maybe just like she didn't care anymore. It was hard for him to tell.

"She woke up. Started shouting in some other language. I was hoping you might know what language it was." Gibbs told Ziva as she reentered the room. River studied Gibbs. He kind of reminded her of Mal just then. Ziva went toward the hospital bed and said a sentence in a few different languages but she didn't get a response.

"I cannot tell. Perhaps if you got her to speak again." Ziva told Gibbs. River was watching Ziva carefully. She somehow knew Ziva had killed people. A lot of people. It would be important to watch out for her. River knew she wasn't as loyal as she seemed. River decided to keep pretending not to speak English or know what they were saying. It might end up working to her advantage. She had to escape and find Simon. She wondered if he had been captured too or killed even. She hoped he was safe.

"What's your name?" Gibbs asked River, using emphasis to make sure she knew it was a question. He didn't expect her to understand him, just to talk again. What surprised him was that he looked into her eyes as he spoke and he knew that she could understand him. Maybe it had been a trick, maybe she was bilingual, but either way she had deceived him. He stood up.

"You understand English. You understood what I just said. If you don't want to talk fine. But if you don't talk I can't help you. Right now you are the main suspect in a multiple murder case. I can charge you right now, but I would rather talk to you, so I knew if I was putting the right person behind bars." Gibbs told her sternly.

River smiled. Gibbs reminded her so much of Mal. She didn't know if she could trust Gibbs though. Just because he was like Mal didn't mean he was trustworthy like him. She wondered what murders. She had after all killed before. What he was charging her with could be true. She realized that The Alliance would show up soon enough and probably kill him so she might as well talk to him. Gibbs might be interesting to talk to. Something to pass the time before The Alliance came and took her away to run tests that were torture on her.


	2. Chapter 2

Simon woke up in the sick bay. It took him a moment to remember what happened. Jayne knocked him out! Why? He wondered. Suddenly it came back to him. River! River was missing! He had to find her! Simon stumbled out of the bed in the sick bay. Mal met him at the door.

"You had a little too much adventure Doctor." Mal said.

"River? Where's River?" Simon asked.

"River? Well I… come to think of it I haven't seen her since the heist. Must be hiding somewhere." Mal said.

"No she…there was a flash. She was there and then she wasn't. Some type of machine." Simon tried frantically to explain.

"Whoa. Hold on there Doctor. What are you talking about?" Mal asked.

"River. Before we got to the stairs. A flash went off and she disappeared." Simon said.

"What? Dang, she got left!" Mal walked quickly up the stairs. "Walsh, turn the ship around. Everyone in the main room!"

As everyone gathered around the table, Mal had the Doctor repeat what happened.

"Oh no!" Kaylee said with wide eyes.

"One less never hurt anything." Jayne commented. Mal glared at him until he cleared his throat and looked away.

"No you don't understand. We didn't leave her. At least I don't think we did. That machine. Whatever it was. I think it did something." Simon said. Mal looked skeptical and was about to say something when Zoe spoke up.

"He could be right. That building we ran through was lousy with equipment. Could be a new weapon." She theorized.

"Then why didn't it take all of us?" Mal asked, considering. Kaylee looked like she was about to stay something, then stopped, then changed her mind again.

"What if…I mean it was top secret. The whole building was even secret to other parts of The Alliance. Maybe it wasn't finished yet." Kaylee suggested.

"Could be. A lot of crazy stuff those folks do Mal." Walsh commented.

"We need to find out more. From what I can tell just going back there wouldn't help River. So we gotta think. Walsh, find the blueprints of that building. Jayne, start making an arsenal on the mule. Preacher.." Mal said looking at Shepard Book.

"I'll start praying for her." Shepard Book finished.

* * *

><p>In the past…<p>

After the hospital released River, Gibbs and Ziva took her back to NCIS.

"Hi, I'm here to take dna samples." Abby said as Gibbs led her into interrogation where they were keeping River. "Open up." Abby directed River as she stuck a swab in her mouth.

"Ow! Gibbs she bit me!" Abby practically screamed as she stood up and backed away. River was smiling mischievously.

"Hey…you never did tell me your name, but no biting!" Gibbs said sternly.

"River." River responded unfazed. He reminded her of Mal more and more. Just as he was about to ask what she meant by saying river so told him. "is my name."

"Last name?" Gibbs asked. It suddenly occurred to River that if Gibbs didn't know her name then he couldn't have called The Alliance officers yet that would pick her up. When he found out who she was…she was practically signing his death warrant.

"Nothing important." River replied. Gibbs was annoyed.

"Should I come back later or…?" Abby asked.

"Go ahead Abs. And River, do not bite her." Gibbs instructed. Abby took the rest of her DNA samples without incident and left. Gibbs left too. This girl River, if that was even her real name, wasn't giving him any answers. Not any real ones anyway. Earlier she had told him she lived on a spaceship. She didn't think she was crazy, just playing him. Playing some game that he didn't feel like playing. He sent Ducky in for a psychological evaluation just in case though.

Half an hour later Ducky came out. Gibbs waited expectantly.

"I don't quite know what to think of the girl. She seems to think she is in some danger, yet her actions are contrary to that. I also got the distinct feeling that she was protecting someone or ones else. I think if you were to let the details of who she is before forgotten for the moment, she would be forthcoming about the crime she may have witnessed." Ducky told him.


End file.
